Venison and bacon stew with orange and bay

Autumn

Venison makes wonderful stews, particularly when you use meat from the shoulder as it responds beautifully to slow cooking. The meat is rich, dark and deeply flavoured but naturally quite lean, so I like to pair it with sweet cured pancetta or bacon. It adds both flavour and the necessary fat, giving the dish a lovely balance. Orange zest brings a bright, fragrant note that works beautifully with bay and juniper. This is a simple, deeply satisfying stew that can be made a day or two in advance and is often even better for it.

serves 4

Ingredients

250g pancetta or bacon, cut into 3–4cm cubes
650g venison shoulder, cubed
2 onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
5 bay leaves
6–8 juniper berries, lightly crushed
Finely pared zest of 1 orange
2 sprigs thyme
100g plain flour, seasoned
500ml ale
Up to 300ml stock or water
1 tbsp olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Set a large casserole over a medium heat and add a little olive oil. Add the sliced onions, garlic, bay leaves and juniper berries and cook gently for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and beginning to colour.

Meanwhile heat a little olive oil in a large heavy frying pan. Add the bacon and cook on all sides until golden and the fat has rendered. Transfer the bacon to the casserole, leaving the pan on the heat.

Toss the venison pieces well in the seasoned flour. Fry them in the same pan in batches until nicely browned, transferring them to the casserole as they are ready.

Add the orange zest and thyme to the casserole and stir everything together. Pour in the ale and add enough stock or water to cover the meat by a couple of centimetres. Season with black pepper but hold back on the salt as the bacon will already bring plenty.

Bring the stew to a gentle simmer. Cook with the lid set slightly ajar over a very low, steady heat for 2–3 hours, until the meat is completely tender. Alternatively cook it in a low oven at 100.c fan, 120.c conventional with the lid on.

Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.

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